Ceiling grid systems for supporting tile panels, such as acoustical ceiling tiles, are used extensively in both new and remodeled building and room structures. Grid systems typically consist of main runners and cross-tees, having lateral supporting shoulders, that are arranged perpendicular to each other to form a rectangular pattern. After the grid is installed, the tile panels are placed onto the supporting shoulders of the runners and cross-tees. Such a grid system offers many advantages such as increasing a room's energy efficiency, improving a room's acoustics, enhancing the aesthetic value of a room, providing a means for lowering a ceiling, and allowing for the installation of electrical fixtures, pipes and duct work.
Ceiling grid systems are relatively inexpensive and easy to install as compared to a plaster ceiling. As a consequence, there is a continuing need to improve on the design and integrity of grid systems, particularly in light of the fact that many such systems are installed in commercial buildings requiring years of service, or installed by the do-it-yourself home owner.
In particular, there is a need to extend the life of the ceiling grid system. After a period of use, a suspended ceiling grid system, such as made from metal, may begin to degrade in that the components may start to rust or to flake, chip or peel paint or may be damaged such as by denting. Further, the color of the grid system as seen by a room's occupant may become discolored or faded over time. For example, in a food processing plant, flaking paint from a suspended ceiling grid system may be a safety and/or health hazard. In general, such a degraded ceiling grid system is also not aesthetically pleasing. Typically, such a degraded ceiling grid system had to be either repainted or removed/replaced with a new ceiling grid system, both at a high cost in labor and materials. Repainting may also be a temporary fix in that it is likely the paint will begin to flake or peel again.
Aesthetically, the color of a suspended ceiling grid system as seen by a room's occupants may also be outdated or there may be a need to change the decor of the room. Typically, suspended ceiling grid systems would have to be either repainted or replaced with the new desired colored ceiling grid system in order to change the color of the ceiling, again both at a high cost in labor and materials.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a device to cover a suspended ceiling grid system, such as an existing metal ceiling grid system, to change or retroactively change the appearance of the grid system without having to repaint or replace the grid system.